2012-11-01 - Pepper's Promotion
Stark still hasn't really come back to the office, leaving Pepper to run so much on her own. Everything he has done has been remote, and typically from his Avenger lab. He has not even once slept in his own bed in the Penthouse. But least he has started to eating a little more, and talking to some people. Which still doesn't likely stop the surprise when Pete gets a phone call from Tony saying: "Hey...grab an overnight bag, and meet me in my office will you? I thought if I was going to run away, I may as well take either a babysitter, or someone that doesn't give a shit if I try to kill myself with something stupid. Who knows what you will choose, but I'm sure it will work out." Yep, Stark sounds unstable. And when Pete finally arrives, a number of Stark's things are in boxes, but the technology is still there. He is spinning in his leather chair behind his desk, just spinning in circles when one of the worried secretaries lets Pete inside the CEO office. "Hi...they called Pepper on me...not that I wasn't going to call her anyway in a few minutes," Starks says almost flippantly. There is a folder of something on his desk, the only thing not technology or accessories needed for work being left behind. Pepper Potts almost on queue, Pepper comes into the office. "Anthony Edward Stark..." (uh oh, full name), "what are you doing? I just got a frantic call from the secretaries that you were finally back in the building... and were boxing everything up...." She looks around. "Annnd yes you are." She looks over at Pete. "Oh... er... Hi Pete." She looks back at Tony. "Tony, what's going on?" Pete Wisdom had a duffel bag slung over his shoulder, and an electronic cigarette puffing out mist. In an excursion like this, gum just won't do. And when a friend wants to run away, an overnight bag won't be enough, either. He's even wearing a winter version of his usual jacket, with a nice lining around the lapel. "Look, mate, it's your responsibility to be as irresponsible as you like, but -" and then Pepper shows up. And Pete wisely shuts up, true to his surname. He did, however, lift a hand in a polite wave. Stark finally stops spinning in his chair. He looks tired and worn, but at least clean and in casual clothes like a long ribbed turtleneck and a nice pair of jeans and black boots. He stands up and lifts the folder that was resting on the desk. He hrms and winks at Pete as if sharing a private joke with him. He then walks around the desk and holds the folder out to Pepper. "I quit," he states so firmly and evenly. And should Pepper accept the folder and open it up, she will see documents that will remove him as CEO...though he will remain Owner and Board Member, the powers and rights along with the paycheck of CEO will revert to Pepper Potts should she sign on the doted light. Stark's signatures are already on all the trucation papers. Pepper Potts pauses as she walks over, then says, "Tony you don't really want to quit..." She asks, "You mean like you're going to take some time off maybe?" She opens the folder. "Okay... no this is saying you actually want to quit and..." She looks over. "Tony, why are you wanting to quit as CEO?" Pete Wisdom simply took a long drag from his electronic cigarette, and he patted his pocket - the jingle of keys could be heard. This was business he had no part in. But better to get out while the getting was good, thought he. The smart ass grin fades, "It's...not my place. I'll still be a board member as needed, and a researcher, but...this office belongs more to you then it does to me Pep." That tiredness is appearing in Tony's eyes. "I can't give this company want it deserves...I know /you/ can. You can make not only my dreams a reality with this company, but I think you can make it soar even higher then I can." Stark finally shrugs, then glances over at Pete, "I got the jet gassed up and a pilot arranged. No destination in mind though man. Hope I wasn't supposed to have that planned out," and he chuckles dryly, without any real humor. But the good news? Stark may be running away right now, but least he isn't going alone...more chance he will get his ass back safely, right? Pepper Potts says, "Of course it's your place, Tony. You built this all!" She puts her hand on his shoulder. "Maybe... I don't know... maybe you just need a break. You've been through so much recently." She then looks at the contracts again, then at Tony again. "Where are you going, Tony?" "The best cure for that," Wisdom said, exhaling harmless vapor, "requires good, sturdy shoes and jackets. We're going to backpack across Europe. Walk the moors of merry old England. Visit the barrows of the Eire. Head to Germany and walk the Fairy Tale Road. We're going to go so far as no technology can reach us. But... with you, I dunno. Is there a way one can block a signal from the Technomancer himself?" Wisdom grinned, vapor coming up between his teeth. "Don't know where I'm going!" Stark then leans down to kiss Pepper's forehead when she touches his shoulder. "Sign the papers Pepper. You do the job anyway most days, it's about time you get the authority and paycheck for it, along with the extra large office. Just have security drop my stuff off into my Penthouse later." Though when Pete answers where they are going, "All over the place apparently!" But at the mention of Technomancer...Stark realizes how sloppy he has been, "Hrms? Technomancer? That's funny!" He snaps his fingers at Pete, but Pete is well trained, he would have seen a flicker of concern in Stark's eyes. "Oh...my ex-computer has a file, you know how I hide stuff, with the Skrull decector information in it. Yes, we got re-invaded and still missing people I suspect. But...no recent leads. Just...be careful," he advises Pepper. He then starts to head for the door, "I don't know what Jarvis packed for me. I was just going to go empty-handed, and Jarvis glared at me, so I gave in." Yep, Stark is leaving like that. "We better hurry, this is like the last order I get to give Happy for a while...oh, Pepper!" His hand is on the doorknob and the door is open. "Happy said he still wanted to be your bodyguard and driver if you will have him. No matter what, he's like me...he still gives a shit even if he doesn't know how to always show it." Pepper Potts sighs a bit. Partially because she can see Tony's mind is set. Partially because of the Skrull re-invasion. Which is honestly more suited to superheroes to deal with. "I'll sign this if you promise that after you're done finding yourself you think about coming back here again. And you leave me some way to contact you." She pauses. "Deal? Because I am NOT going to tolerate worrying about what's happening to you on a daily basis more than I do normally." "I understand," Wisdom said solidly. "I feel bad we'll be busy being tossers when the world's in danger," he said solmenly. But maybe they can root out evil on the road. Now THAT sounds awesome. Then he got an idea. An awful idea. The Pete got a wonderful, *awful* idea. "Whatever you bring, Stark, it should be enough. Wherever we go, mate, there we'll be." He snorted at Pepper's demand for contact. But he doesn't interject further than that. "Hey, hey...I got projects to work on, remember? Got to make money and save the world," Tony says with a lopsided smile, trying to mimic is old carefree expression. "And I'll contact you, promise." Stark then walks out of the office, expecting Pete to follow. "You got an 'expression' man, what did you think, and how much will I get shot at?" Pepper Potts looks at the papers... then signs them. Then puts them down on the desk and walks over to Pete before he walks out to follow Tony. She takes his arm briefly. "Pete... make sure he doesn't do anything stu-" She pauses and restarts. "Make sure he's saf-" She pauses and restarts again. "Make sure he eventually comes back in one piece, please." Then she lets go of his arm. "One piece," Pete said, and he stood stock still a moment, put his heels together, arms at his sides, and he bowed. There was the faint popping of muscles, as if Pete hadn't done that posture in some time. But it seemed to suit him. He then followed Tony out. "So, you want to really go bollocks deep in trailblazing?" "Sure, whatever...and she asked you to babysit me, didn't she?" Stark pushes the button for the elevator, but...slightly forced or not, he's smiling...and soon...surely that smile will become heartfelt like it once was.